Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if we may expect SOLAS to be fully established by the end of 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20657/12]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the kind of role industry will have in the new education and training authority SOLAS; if it will be given a formal role in overseeing course provision and content; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20659/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 66 together.

Following the Government Decision to create SOLAS, an Implementation Group was set up to establish SOLAS. I am chairing this Group and its membership includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association and the Department of Social Protection.

The Group has been meeting regularly to drive the process forward. The Heads of a Bill have been approved by Government and have recently been referred to the Office of the Attorney General for drafting purposes.

Once SOLAS is established it will have strategic responsibility for the training currently delivered by FÁS and Skillnets and the further education currently delivered by VECs. SOLAS will ensure that further education and training programmes are more flexible and responsive to meet the particular needs of jobseekers and industry. As part of this process, courses and their curricula will be constantly reviewed to ensure that they are fully aligned to the skills needs identified by SOLAS, the NEES, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, and through direct contact with employers.

Given the complex elements involved, including enacting appropriate legislation, it is expected that the process of establishing SOLAS will be completed by the end of 2012.